Erika Radermacher facts for kids

Erika Radermacher, born on April 16, 1936, is a talented musician from Switzerland. She is known as a pianist, a singer (soprano), and a composer. Erika won many awards for her amazing piano playing in Germany and Austria. These awards included the Mozart Prize and the Beethoven Competition prize. She performed her music all over Europe. She also taught music at the Conservatory of Music in Bern and the Bern University of Arts. As a singer, she performed with a group called Ensemble Neue Horizonte. Some of the music she wrote has even been played on Swiss radio. Erika has also shared her musical knowledge by teaching in Bulgaria.

Early Life and Musical Training

Erika Radermacher was born in Eschweiler, a town near Aachen in Germany, on April 16, 1936. She began her journey in music by studying with famous teachers. She learned piano from Else Schmitz-Gohr in Cologne, Germany. Later, she continued her piano studies with Bruno Seidlhofer in Vienna, Austria. Erika also trained her voice, learning to sing as a soprano with Sylvia Gähwiller in Zurich, Switzerland.

Becoming a Performer

After finishing her studies, Erika Radermacher quickly gained recognition. She won important awards in Germany and Austria for her piano skills. These wins helped her become a well-known performer. She traveled across Europe, playing music both by herself as a soloist and with other musicians in small groups.

Life in Switzerland and Teaching

Erika Radermacher married Urs Peter Schneider, a composer from Switzerland. They made their home in the Swiss cities of Bern and Biel. In Bern, Erika taught piano at the Conservatory of Music. She also joined a music group called Ensemble Neue Horizonte in Bern, where she sang as a soprano. She was one of the people who helped start this group.

Focus on Composing

After 1970, Erika Radermacher started to spend more time writing her own music. She became very interested in composition. Some of the musical pieces she created have been recorded and played on Swiss radio.

Teaching and Awards

Today, Erika Radermacher works as a piano lecturer at the Bern University of Arts. She also teaches piano, music theory, and improvisation in Sofia, Bulgaria. In 1983, Erika Radermacher and her husband, Urs Peter Schneider, were honored with the Bernese music prize for their contributions to music.

Awards and Recognitions

Erika Radermacher has received several important awards for her musical talents:

• Two prizes in 1982 from the BAT competition for new chamber music.
• The Music Prize of the Canton of Bern in 1983, which she shared with her husband, Urs Peter Schneider.
• A prize from the German Culture Industry Group.
• First Prize at the Summer Academy in Salzburg, Austria.
• The Beethoven Competition prize in Vienna, Austria.
• The Mozart Prize in Dortmund, Germany.
• The Austrian State Prize in 1963.

Recorded Music

Erika Radermacher's performances and compositions have been recorded. You can find her work on these CDs:

• Robert Walser in der Schweizer Musik (Musiques Suisses Nr. 6231, 2005)
• Historic Recordings 1968-1998, with the New Horizons Ensemble (music scene in Switzerland - Grammont Portrait No. CTS-M 76, 2002)
• Urs Peter Schneider (Edition Wandelweiser Records No. 101, 2001)
• Im Innern das Zitat, Improvisationen (Deputy / asm / Records Unit No. 012 / UTR4132, 2000)